Mother ran puncture shop, son became IAS officer: The inspirational UPSC story of Varun Baranwal

UPSC Success Story of Varun Baranwal

Life changed forever for 16-year-old Varun Baranwal just three days after he finished his class 10th exams. His father, the sole breadwinner of the family who ran a small bicycle repair shop in Boisar, Maharashtra, passed away after a long illness.

Overnight, the world expected Varun to become a man. Relatives and neighbors advised him to forget his studies and take over the puncture shop full-time to support his mother and siblings. For a moment, he believed them. He put his books away and prepared for a life of repairing cycles.

But then, his class 10th results arrived. Varun had topped his school.

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"I was the school's topper... I was so happy. I was going to every classroom telling everyone, 'I came first!'" Varun recalls. But that joy was short-lived. A friend’s simple question, "What will you do now?" shattered his excitement. The reality of his situation came crashing down. He went home, his dream of studying further feeling like a distant fantasy.

He told his mother he would run the shop for a year and then study. Her response would change everything.

"No, one year will go to waste," his mother insisted. "I will definitely get you to study, no matter how much I have to work hard."

Her plan was simple yet extraordinary. "If the shop earned 100 rupees, I would use 50 rupees for the household and save the remaining 50 rupees for my children's education."

She took over the cycle repair shop, a job she had never done before. Her promise to her son was unwavering: "You study, I'll run the shop."

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But the struggle was far from over. When it was time to pay for his class 11th admission, the fees were out of reach. Varun went to his uncle to ask for help. On his way, he saw something that would stay with him forever.

"I saw my mother at the cycle shop, repairing a cycle... I asked, 'What are you doing?' She said, 'This is my work, I have to do it.'"

She wasn't angry or playing the victim. She was determined. She explained she was working to earn his admission fees, telling him simply, "This is a way to a better future."

In that moment, Varun’s resolve was forged in steel. His hard work inspired others to help. Teachers pooled money for his fees. A family doctor paid his admission charges. He eventually became an engineer and got a corporate job.

But his goal was bigger. He quit his job to prepare for the UPSC exam. With no money for coaching, he walked into an institute and promised to clear the exam on his first attempt if they taught him for free.

He kept his promise. Varun Baranwal cracked the UPSC exam with an incredible All India Rank of 32.

From a small puncture shop in Boisar to the Indian Administrative Service, Varun’s journey is held together by the powerful words of a mother who refused to let her son’s dream die.